Right in Time (5 page)

“What are you doing?”
Maggie asked in almost a whisper. 

Caleb
didn’t answer with words, he just started circling his hips in rhythm with the song, his hands guiding her hips to do the same. 

She could feel his hot breath on the side of her neck and ear as his head rested to the side of hers.  She was in some sort of trance, not really knowing what was going on, but so wrapped up in it that she wasn’t fighting against it either.  She felt one of his hands leave her hips and grab her hand, and with that he spun her out, only to pull her quickly back in so that they were now facing each other, their chests pressed firmly against each other.  Maggie allowed Caleb to take control of the rhythm and the movements.  They were dancing completely in sync, but it was so unlike any of the other times before.  Caleb wasn’t verbally giving instructions, Maggie’s brain wasn’t closed off in concentration.  No, instead, Caleb was guiding her with his hands and his own movements, and Maggie was just going along with the ride.

When the song ended and silence filled the studio, neither of them made any effort to move or separate themselves.  They just stood there, their bodies entangled.  Maggie looked up at Caleb and their eyes met and locked, their breathing remaining heavy.  In that moment, Maggie wanted nothing more than to be bold and lean up and kiss him, but instead, her brain flashed to the weeks before when she witnessed him and Samantha in a similar position.  With that, she broke the eye contact that had been burning in to her and tried to back away, but Caleb’s firm yet gentle hold on her hips couldn’t be broken.

“
Maggie...” he started, his voice low and husky.

“Can you please let me go?”

Caleb looked down at her questionably and Maggie did her best to avoid his eyes.  When she felt one hand move from her hips, she thought she was on her way out, but instead it drew her in even further by making its way to the side of her cheek where his smooth fingers traced along her jaw line. 

Before she could even process the full extent of what was happening, Caleb tilted her chin towards him and closed the distance between their lips.  The kiss was soft and sweet as Caleb pulled back slightly to see her reaction.  Even though they were as close as could be, Maggie stepped even more in to him and their lips met again as they melted in to each other, their mouths moving in perfect rhythm.  Finally giving in to the need for breath, they pulled apart from each other, but remained close with their foreheads touching.  A sweet smile spread across Caleb’s face, one Maggie couldn’t help but return, but that honeymoon feeling was cut short with a knock at the door.

Chapter Ten

The knock at the door rattled the two to their senses and they broke apart just as Samantha entered the studio.  Although they were now standing on opposite ends of the studio, Maggie was sure the situation read as though something had happened.  Maggie’s mind was racing. 

Something did happen; she kissed Caleb. 

Caleb kissed her. 

And it was awesome. 

But now his girlfriend stood in the room, subsequently killing said feelings of awesomeness.

Samantha approached Caleb with a slight smile playing across her lips and Maggie noticed Caleb’s lips turning in to a similar pattern. 

How could they both b
e so cool and casual about this?
Maggie thought to herself. 

In the scene the continued to p
lay out before her, Samantha brought a CD out of her bag and handed it to Caleb, leaning forward to whisper something in his ear.  The only response he gave was a nod, followed by a bigger smile than that that was making an appearance earlier.  Turning to Maggie, Samantha smiled equally big and left the room as quickly as she had entered.  When the door closed, Maggie let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding and felt her chest fall. 

Caleb put the CD on the stereo and came back over to where Maggie now stood.  Before she knew it, his hands were around her waist once again and in the enjoyment of the contact, it took her a split second longer to realize what had just happened and she pulled away as fast as she could.

“What’s wrong?”
Caleb questioned, a little surprised at the change in her demeanour.

“What’s wrong?”
Maggie answered back sharply.  “Samantha almost catches us kissing and you ask me what is wrong?!”

“Uh...yes?”
Caleb mused, not really sure why she was having a problem.

“She’s your girlfriend,
Caleb!”

“My what?!”
Caleb asked as a look of confusion spread across his face.  “How did I miss
that
memo.”

“This isn’t time for jokes!”
Maggie quipped back.

“I’m not joking!”
Caleb stated, defending himself.  “Do you really think I would kiss you like that if I had a girlfriend?  I’m not that type of guy.”

Maggie
just looked at him before hanging her head and saying, mostly to herself, “it wouldn’t be the first time someone you didn’t expect cheated.”

Caleb
stepped towards Maggie and tilted her chin up with his thumb so she would look him in the eye.  “Samantha is Bryan’s sister.  Hell, she’s like
my
little sister too.”

“And what about when I walked in on you guys dancing?  And that moment you two had just before?”

“You know how I mentioned that Bryan was in town for a bit?  Well, he’s here supporting Samantha.  She was in the ballroom competition that was last weekend.  Sam was my partner.  And that “moment?”  She asked me if I finally made my move. On you.”

Maggie
’s mouth formed an ‘O’ shape, no sound coming out as she realized that she had read wrongly in to everything.

“You were right though.  It wouldn’t have been the first time someone you didn’t expect cheated, but it never would have been me.”
Caleb finished.

Maggie
stood where she was, not sure if she was able to hold Caleb’s eye contact any longer for she felt like a fool and an idiot for thinking all the things she had.

“I’m sorry you were hurt before.”
Caleb whispered.

Maggie
’s eyes locked with his before Caleb’s lips descended on hers once again. 

This time, the kiss was different.  Sure, there was passion behind it for there was no denying that they had pent up feelings for each other, but there was also a sweetness behind it, one that took the lead.  Maggie’s comment earlier had made Caleb realize that Maggie was scared and he wanted to show her that she didn’t have to be afraid, that not all men are assholes and that if she allowed him, he would treat her right and help her forget.

Chapter Eleven

“Spill.” was the first word that Maggie heard on the other end when she picked up her ringing phone.  She had rushed in to her apartment after hearing the ringing in the hallway, not even having time to put down her things.

“Spill what?”
Maggie asked the voice on the other end, whom she recognized as Taylor’s.

“Okay, seriously
Mag? What happened tonight?!  Better yet, what happened Tuesday?”

Maggie’s mind flashed back to what had happened in the hour before her arriving back at home; Caleb’s hands, and more importantly, his lips on hers.  It had been everything she had dreamt of, well, minus interruption by the believed-to-be girlfriend, but that could easily become forgotten or even turn in to a cute little anecdote or story later on.  But what mattered was that Caleb wanted Maggie and she wanted him back.  Needless to say, the two of them didn’t do that much dancing after Samantha left, and whatever dancing they did accomplish, it was in very tight quarters with many breaks for lip action, all ending with a plan to meet for dinner the next night.  All Maggie could do was giggle in response to Taylor’s question which frustrated her.

“Seriously?  I bail you out and you don’t want to give me an exp
lanation?”

Sighing,
Maggie filled her friend in on the invite to the show and why she eventually fled before the curtain call.  “But, after you left...” Maggie led, squealing a little like she did when she was excited, “we kissed!”

“What?!” was all Taylor could muster in shock.  For as long as she had known
Maggie she was not one to kiss guys she barely knew.  Sure, she had gone to his concert, but she had never spoken that much about him to her friends so she was a bit taken aback.  Regardless, the happiness and excitement that she could hear coming from Maggie was definitely refreshing.  “Hold on,” Taylor continued, “this requires reinforcements.” 

Before Maggie knew what was happening, Taylor was connecting Alexis and Callie in on the call so that they could all be ‘present’ when Maggie filled them in on every detail.  After getting every little bit of the story, the three others were squealing along with Maggie in their excitement for her.  From what they had heard, Caleb was a great guy and they knew if Maggie was this excited about him, he was definitely something special.

“Coffee and shopping in the a.m.” Alexis confirmed before they all hung up and made their attempts at sleep.

The next morning, Alexis
, Callie, Taylor, and Maggie met at the coffee shop closest to Maggie’s apartment where they quickly caffeinated themselves before heading off to Robson street for some shopping.  It was Maggie’s first date in a year and she knew she had to dress to impress.  Maggie’s nerves weren’t getting to her at all as she was having fun with her friends, trying on different looks, joking around. But it wasn’t until they were finishing up at the last store and she checked her cell phone to see that it was already 5:15pm that the panic set in.  Caleb was to be at her place at seven to pick her up for dinner.

“Guys!”
Maggie yelled, causing most of the ladies in the store to turn her direction.  “We’ve got to go, I’m going to be late!”

“You’re always
late.” Callie joked, as Alexis and Taylor nodded, knowing the truth, not really paying her any mind.

“I know, but I don’t do it intentionally.  And I’ve been really good with getting to c
lass on time and such.  I just...I just really don’t want to mess this up by being late.”

The three girls smiled at
Maggie, seeing in her eyes how much this truly meant to her.  Grabbing her and her bags, they pulled her out of the store, and raced back to her place, arriving just after six.

“Okay,” Taylor started, taking charge, “
Maggie; shower.  And quick.  No getting your hair wet, we don’t have time to re-do that.  We’ll put your purchases away and get your outfit ready.  Go!”  And with that, everyone assumed their battle stations, so to speak. 

At 6:45, Maggie was clean and dressed, but had only partially started her make-up routine.  It was then that the buzzer to her apartment went off, causing all four girls to whip their heads in the direction of the noise in panic.  Maggie, who happened to be holding an eyeliner pencil, was left with a lovely teal colored streak across her cheek.

“Shit!” they all cried almost simultaneously.  “Maybe it’s not him?” Callie questioned, hopefully.

Maggie made her way out of the bathroom, the other girls following closely, towards the buzzer.  “Hello?” she asked apprehensively.

“
Pizza” the male voice on the other end responded.

“What?”

“Pizza delivery for...Patrick Talmor.”

Maggie
let out the breath she was holding.  “Wrong number, he lives next apartment over.” She responded as the delivery guy apologized. 

The girls just stood there for a moment before they bolted back to the bathroom where, after removing the teal streak,
Maggie finished applying her make-up as quickly as she could; much quicker than she normally would, but with her three friends telling her to get a move on, she really had no other option.

Ten minutes after the initial buzzer incident, it went off again at 6:55.  This time, it was indeed Caleb.  Punctual, but not overly so.  Very nice.